1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plow assembly for attachment to a motor vehicle. More particularly, this invention relates to a lightweight snow plow assembly which is both easy to attach to an automobile and easy to remove therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the cost of snow removal increasing each year, homeowners and business owners have sought alternative and less expensive ways of removing snow.
One such way is the attachment of a snow plow assembly to one's own vehicle, thereby avoiding the need to pay someone else who has attached a plow blade to their truck. The attachment of a snow plow assembly to a vehicle, however, poses many difficulties. For instance, there is a requirement that the attached snow plow blade not create or allow any undue stress to be placed on the vehicle. Additionally in order for such a plow assembly to be practical there is a need for quick and easy attachment and detachment of the plow assembly. Likewise, there is a requirement that the plow assembly be suitable for use on a wide variety of vehicles commonly owned by the average home owner. Furthermore there is the requirement that the snow plow assembly be compact, that is, the snow plow blade assembly must be compact enough for easy storage in places such as a home owner's garage. Moreover, there is the requirement that the snow plow blade assembly be complete in and of itself or in other words there can not be unsightly and fuel wasting components of the plow assembly permanently secured to the vehicle after detachment of the plow blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,211 to Rossmann discloses the attachment of a thrust frame, having a snow plow blade attached thereto, to a hitching device on a vehicle. The blade is positioned on the end of the vehicle which is opposite the end having the hitching means thereby requiring extensive frame structure to encompass the vehicle. This extensive framework gives the invention the disadvantage of not being easily compacted for storage even despite its ability to partially fold up after use. Additionally, the thrust assembly is difficult to set up as it requires alignment of components of the thrust frame on both sides of the vehicle. This is something which is not always easy to do, especially in the smaller two car garages which have limited space between the cars or between the cars and the side walls of the garage. Moreover, because of the extensive framework, just placing the frame structure in proper position would require too much time to make such a system practical.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,516 to Billingsley discloses a snow plow which is connected, in part, to the rear axle of a vehicle. Although such a structure is relatively easy to assemble it does not insure that the vehicle will not be structurally damaged. The positioning of force absorbing components of a plow assembly on a car axle is disfavored, as the rear axle can be bent out of alignment which would require extensive and expensive vehicle repair work. This is especially true for some of the smaller vehicles which have small diameter rear axles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,507 to Payne discloses the attachment of a snow plow assembly to the bumper of a car. The attachment of the plow assembly, however, to a bumper on a car poses the problem of adequate structural support. For example, many of the older cars have bumpers which are rusted and/or extensively damaged due to accidents and are thus not capable of providing the necessary structural support for the heavy plow blade contemplated in Payne. Furthermore, the heavy plow blade in Payne is difficult to move from location to location and, because it is massive in size, it makes storage difficult. Additionally the contemplated plow assembly attachment means to the bumper is complicated and difficult to manipulate especially when one's hands become cold.